Apparatus for transmitting messages by telephone.



No. 766,225. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

I W. DAY. APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING MESSAGES BY TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1904.

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WIT A/E88E8f 5 INVENTOR E J W 12 ATTORNEY No. 766,225. PATBNTED AUG. 2, 1904.

E. W. DAY. APPARATUS FOR TRANSMITTING MESSAGES BY TELEPHONE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11. 1904.

H0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'-''w-w-' w v w 7 W T/H8858.- INVENTOR Anon/ms UNITED STATES Patented August 2, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDGAR WV. DAY, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 766,225, dated August 2, 1904.

Application filed April-l1, 1904. Serial No. 202,542. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDGAR 'W'. DAY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Transmitting Messages by Telephone, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to an improved apparatus for transmitting messages by telephone, and is designed to afford a ready, convenient, and more rapid substitute for ordinary telegraph apparatus and one that may be used by unskilled employees.

My invention comprises a combination of devices embracing a series of individual phonograms or records of sounds of the letters of the alphabet, words, syllables, or combinations of words or syllables from which a mes sage may be composed, means for telephonically transmitting sounds reproduced from said phonograms, and a series of controlling devices corresponding, respectively,to the said individual phonograms and controlling the individual transmissions therefrom, so that by operating said controlling devices in the proper order the message may be composed and transmitted by spelling out the words telephonically or by transmitting individual whole words, syllables, or combinations of the same in the required sequence.

.In carrying out my invention the individual phonograms or sound-records may be of any desired kind, operated in combination with any desired sound-reproducer, which by acting upon a suitable telephonic transmitter will transmit the said sounds to be received upon a suitable telephonic receiver.

The controlling devices comprise a bank of keys operating through suitable controlling mechanisms to bring the individual transmissions from the phonograms into operation in the desired sequence.

In carrying out my invention 1 may employ a single reproducing appliance in conjunction with the series of individual phonograms and provide means for bringing said reproducer into operative relation to the different phonograms, according to the key or controlling device operated. It would, however, be within my invention to employ a separate reproducer for each individual phonogram and to bring the several reproducers into action by operatively connecting them with the individual controlling keys or levers.

My invention comprises also in combination a series of phonograms, a reproducer adapted to be traversed over the same and controlled in its position by a series of keys or controlling devices, and means for bringing the reproducer into operative relation to said phonograms after adjustment through the control of the said keys or controlling devices.

My invention consists also in the combinations of apparatus and details of construction hereinafter more particularly described and then specified in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section on the line 11m, Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow (1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line Fig. 1, and looking in the direction of the arrow 7). Fig. 4 is a front elevation of part of the apparatus. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 shows a modification in the form of my invention. Fig. 7 shows a still further modification and an additional application of my invention.

Referring to the drawings, 17 is a cylinder mounted on an axis 22 and preferably kept in constant rotation by any desired means. Said cylinder carries a series of phonograms disposed beside one another and consisting of sound-records which by means of a reproducer will give the sounds of the letters of the alphabet, numerals, syllables, short words of frequent occurrence, or other records, each individual record occupying by preference a different position axially of the cylinder.

For convenience of description it will be as sumed that the records or phonograms occupying different circumferential lines on the cylinder consist of letters of the alphabet and in addition numerals. It would, however, be within the invention to employ records reprea I st st sentlngsyllables. Fol-example, com, for,

Lil

ing, tion, 620., may be advantageously employed in the transnnssion of numerous words, among which are the following, coming, com-for-t, cOm-for-t-ing, for-ming, for-m-a-tion, &c.

4 is a phonograph-reproducer, the stylus of which is indicated at 16. Said reproducer is mounted in such a way that it can be moved axiallyof the cylinder 17 to bring' it over any one of the individual phonograms,after which it may be lowered into' engagement with said phonogram to reproduce the sound recorded thereon. Such sound may be conveyed through the tube 1 to telephone-transmitter 5, whereby said sound may be telephonically transmitted to a receiver typified at 18. For convenience the sound-tube 1 is used as the means for supporting the reproducer. Said tube in this instance would be mounted in bearings formed in a yoke 24 to permit the reproducer to move in a vertical plane, While to accommodate the movement of the same in the direction to bring it over any phonogram said yoke may be mounted on a post 25, adapted to turn in a horizontal plane.

While I have described the phonograms as mounted to turn on an axis, it is obvious that they might be given motion in any other way beneath the reproducer,the latter being capable of adjustment, as described, to bring it to engagement with any one of said phonograms.

The controlling devices which govern the position of the reproducer over the series of phonograms may consist of the series of stop or controlling levers 3, each furnished with a suitable knob whereby it may be operated'by hand. These stop or controlling levers when depressed at their outer ends are brought into position to be engaged by a bar 26 on the lower side of the tube 1, and each said lever is adapted to stop the bar or arm 1 in position over a particular one of the series of phonograms. Any means may be employed for moving the reproducer over the series of phonograms to position where it will be stopped by the particular lever 3 which is depressed. For the sake of illustration I show apower device forthis purpose, consisting of an electromagnet 9, which operates upon an armature 10, secured to the arm 1. Said magnet 9 is brought into operation on the depression of any keylever 3 by the closure of a circuit from one to the other of two contact-bars 6 7, upon one of which the levers are pivoted, while the other is engaged by any lever when depressed, thereby closing the circuit of the battery 8 or other source of power through the magnet 9. The movement of the arm in the opposite direction is produced by the action of the thereof.

pressed and stopped there, said stylus is lowered into engagement with the phonogram by any suitable means also controlled by the keys in common and which may consist of an electromagnet 13, whose armature normally sustains the reproducer out of engagement with the phonogram, but in such manner as to permit the free traverse of the reproducer over the series of phonograms in the action of selecting the one required.

The construction of this device in detail is as follows: 14 is an arm extending from the reproducer-box and normally resting upon a cross-arm 28, upon which said armlt may freely slide. The arm or bar 28 is sustained upon a frame carried by the armature 29 of the electromagnet 13, and said armature is normally raised by the action of a spring 30, so as to keep the stylus out of engagement with the phonograms. may be pivoted, as shown in Fig. 4, upon a suitable standard 31, a proper stop device 32 being used to limit the upward movement To bring the magnet 13 into action and lower the reproducer, the circuit of said magnet may be closed through contacts brought into engagement when the reproducer reaches the selected position determined by the key-lever 3 depressed. As typical of such a circuit-closing device it is assumed in this description that the circuit is closed by the engagement of the stop-bar 26 with the stop arm or extension from the key-levers 3, as more clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The circuit of the magnet 13 is through a suitable battery 12 or other generator, then through the arm 1, then through the insulated stoparm extensions of the levers 3, all of which would have the same connection, as is indicated in the case of one only of said levers. These electromagnetic devices for actuating the reproducer and for lowering it when it reaches the selected position selected by the controller-lever3 which may be operated are typical simply of any controlling or operating mechanisms governed by the action of the keys and adapted to control the movement of The armature itself traverse ofthe'reproducer and the movement my invention is indicated in Fig. 6, wherein the lever 3 carries a reproducer-box 4, with a stylus 16, while the telephone-transmitter 5 is secured directly to the reproducer-box. The key-levers 3 play between suitable stops 20 and are normally held in position so as to keep the stylus 16 out of engagement with the phonogram by means of a suitable spring-21.

In many cases it may be desired to keep a visual or printed record of the message transmitted, in which case the key-levers 3 may act as the key-levers of a type-writer and as indicated in Fig. 7, wherein 25 is the typewriter cylinder and 24 the type-lever connected in the usual way by a link 22 with the key-lever 3.

.It is obvious that my invention is capable of being carried out in many different ways and by many different mechanical constructions differing largelyin their details without departing from the essence of my invention.

'hat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination of aseries of individual phonograms, means for telephonically transmitting the sounds reproduced therefrom and a series of controlling devices corresponding to such phonograms and controlling respectively the individual telephonic transmissions.

2. The combination of a series of individually-acting phonograms, means for telephonieally transmitting the sounds reproduced therefrom, and a bank of controlling-keys corresponding to said phonograms and controlling respectively the individual telephonic transmissions therefrom.

3. The combination substantially as described, of a series of individual phonograms, a reproducer adapted to be traversed over the same to select the phonogram required, a series of controlling devices whereby the selecting movement of traverse may be determined, and means governed by said controlling devices for lowering or bringing the reproducer into operative engagement with the phonogram selected.

at. The combination substantially as described, ot' a series of phonograms, a repred ucer adapted to be traversed over said phonograms without engaging them, a series of keylevers determining the extent of traverse, and

means for bringing the reproducer into engagement with the phonogram selected when said reproducer reaches the selected position.

5. The combination substantially as described with a series of phonograms, of a reproducer mounted on aswinging arm, a series of stop-levers adapted to stop the same in position over dilferent phonograms, and means controlled by said stop-levers for bringing the reproducer into engagement with the phonograms selected when the reproducer reaches the selected position.

6. The combination with a series of phonograms and a reproducer adapted to be traversed over the same, of a telephone-transmitter, a series of key-levers, circuit-closing devices controlled by said levers for bringing an actuating-magnet into operation whereby the reproducer may be traversed, circuitclosing devices controlled by said keys adapt"- ed to close the circuit when the reproducer reaches the selected position and an electromagnet for bringing the reproducer into operative relation to the phonogram selected.

7. The combination with a series of individual phonograms and means for telephonically transmitting the sounds reproduced therefrom, of a series of controlling-levers adapted to select respectively the individual transmissions produced thereby, and means connected with said levers for making a visual record of the sounds transmitted as and for the purpose described.

8. The combination of a phonogram, a re producer, a lever controlling the operative relation of the phonogram and reproducer, and a type-bar for a type-writer connected to said lever.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 21st day of March, A. D. 1904.

EDGAR \V. DAY.

\Vitnesses:

C. F. TISCHNER, J r., Jo ANNA B. TALLMAN. 

